MASS SCHEDULE
DAILY MASSES
Monday - Friday: 7:00am and 8:30am
Saturday: 8:30am
SUNDAY MASSES
Saturday Vigil
4:30pm
7:00pm (Spanish)
Sunday
7:30am, 9:00am, 11:00am, 5:00pm (LifeTeen)
1:00pm (Spanish)
CONFESSION SCHEDULE
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (Confession)
Saturdays: 3:00pm - 4:00pm or by appointment.
The confessional is located in a separate room within the church's Chapel and offers the option of face-to-face or behind-the-screen confessions.
ACT OF CONTRITION
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
BAPTISM RITE (Canon Law and St. Rita Church guidelines)
General Information
1. Contact the Parish Office at 793-8544 to register.
2. The family needs to be registered members of St. Rita Church. Click here to register on-line.
3. If you are not a registered member here, you must obtain a permission letter from the Pastor of the Church you are registered at.
4. English baptisms are held on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sundays of each month in the Church.
5. Spanish baptisms are held on the 1st Sunday of each month in the Church.
6. If you plan to have a Priest or Deacon who is outside of St. Rita Church to officiate at the Rite of Baptism either privately or publicly at the times noted above, you must have a Delegation Memorandum Form filled out and approved by Fr. Munro, Pastor, prior the scheduled baptism.
Children
1. Infants may be baptized at the request of their parents. If there is a divorce involved or a case of shared custody, the permission of the other parent should be obtained in writing and duly notarized in advance of the ceremony. If the child is adopted or if there is no legal contact with the other parent, the baptism will require only the consent of the parent with whom the child resides.
2. Children must be baptized with a Christian name. [Canon Law 855]
Parents
1. Parents (English) are required to take a 1 hour parent session prior to the baptism. These sessions are normally scheduled on the first Sunday of every month and are normally held in the Parish Center at 1:00pm. Due to unforeseen circumstances that will result in schedule or location changes, the time and place of this meeting might be changed. Please call the parish office during office hours at 793-8544 to confirm time and place. You do not need to sign-up prior to the session. Please be prompt.
2. Parents (Spanish) should call Deacon Jose Ortiz at 793-3128 to register for the Spanish parent session and baptism date.
Sponsors (Godparents)
1. There may be one or two sponsors (Godparent is another term for the Sponsor. Canon Law only refers to Sponsors). When there are two sponsors, one is male (Godfather) and the other female (Godmother). [Canon Law 873]
2. Sponsors and witnesses must be Christians.
3. One sponsor must be Catholic, [Canon Law 874, #3] and be a confirmed, practicing and registered member of a Catholic Church. The non-Catholic sponsor is called a Witness.
4. Any sponsor registered outside of St. Rita Church needs to secure a Sponsor Certificate stating that they are a practicing, registered Catholic of another parish.
5. Requirements of the Catholic sponsor:
a) At least the age required for the Sacrament of Confirmation and generally sixteen years old
[Canon Law 874, #2]
b) Baptized and confirmed and received the Eucharist. [Canon Law 874, #3]
c) Living an upright life (e.g. not living in a marriage outside the Catholic Church).
d) No penalties (e.g. left the Catholic Church). Therefore, a Catholic who has left the Catholic Church cannot be a sponsor,and cannot be a Christian Witness is they joined another Christian communion. [Canon Law 874, #4]
e) Cannot be either parent. [Canon Law 874, #5]
6. The notation "Christian Witness" is placed under the name of the non-Catholic Christian Witness in the baptismal register.
Proxy
1. Only one proxy is allowed and he or she must attend a baptismal class in their parish and send a letter from the parish to us stating that you are qualified to be a Catholic sponsor.
2. Only a Catholic sponsor may use a proxy and must be a practicing Catholic.
3. A parent is never allowed to serve as a sponsor, witness or proxy.
Donations
The suggested offering is $50.00. You are welcome to donate more if your means allow.
WEDDING RITE (Canon Law and St. Rita Church Guidlines)
The following booklet contains information about the Wedding Rite and the guidelines set forth at St. Rita. Other information contained within is that of documents, forms, required programs, scheduling times, rehearsal information, offering and music fees and other important notes. Please note that personal information such as last names and personal phone numbers of personnel are not provided for website security reasons. Please call the Parish Office at 793-8544 for further information or come in to receive a complete copy of this document.
(updated January, 2009)
Click on image to view booklet:
THE LITURGICAL YEAR
Colors of the Liturgical Year Explained
Advent initiates the new Liturgical year: A, B, or C, a 3 year cycle. Violet (purple) is used for both Advent and Lent. It is the symbolic color of preparation and penance. Red is used for Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost, and for feasts days for apostles and martyrs. White vestments are used for the seasons of Christmas and Easter, for feasts of our Lord (Christ The King) outside of the Passion, and for Marian feasts. Green is used throughout Ordinary Time when not otherwise replaced by another color.
LENT begins on Ash Wednesday and ends when the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper (Holy Thursday) begins. The three days of the EASTER TRIDUUM then begin: Day 1: sundown on Holy Thursday to sundown on Good Friday; Day 2: sundown on Good Friday to sundown on Holy Saturday: Day 3: sundown on Holy Saturday to Sundown on Easter Sunday.
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION
All Roman Catholics in the United States are obligated to attend Mass on the following days:
All Sundays
Octave of Christmas, Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God**
January 1
Ascension of the Lord
May 25
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary**
August 15
All Saints Day**
November 1
Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 8
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
December 25
**When these Holy Days fall on a Saturday or Monday, The obligation to attend Mass may be abrogated (removed). In some cases, the diocese may decide to move a Holy day to the following Sunday.
Please note: because the day of (and circumstances) change for any Holy Day of obligation, specific times for Masses change as well. Notification of days and times will be announced via this website, chuch bulletins, and Sunday Mass announcemnents.